Two podium placings and improving form are STEVENS MTB Racing Team’s take-aways from the second MTB Bundesliga race of the season in Gedern. In the ”Vulkan Race” organized by local cycling club TGV Schotten Leonie Daubermann and Franziska Koch showed their outstanding class in the U19 Female Juniors field by finishing second and third, respectively.

Lisa Heckmann finished a strong fifth in the Women’s Elite race. After suffering a crash and a mechanical in the same race Antonia Daubermann was pleased with her seventh place. Just like David Horvath who after a fissure fracture in his fibula three weeks ago rode to 12th place in the Men’s Elite competition.

It was Franziska Koch to set the pace at the beginning of the U19 Juniors race. In an Interview with acrossthecountry.net [Link] she said: ”I just went my rhythm and watched-out for whoever was going to keep up.” Yet, she wasn’t able to get rid of the winner of the last World Junior Series race, Ronja Eibl, who even rode away from her in lap three. Franziska Koch who just started competing in the U19 beginning this season rode her STEVENS Sonora SL to second place at 1:16 minutes behind.

Her team mate Leonie Daubermann at the time is right in the middle of her A-Level exams (high school graduation). This is maybe why a third place does not quite show what she’s capable of. Also interview by acrossthecountry.net she said after the race: ”I am well aware that I cannot train properly because of that. But in three weeks I’ll be finished with my exams. Then it’ll be all about catching up step by step. But finishing school comes first.” We wish her all the best!

Team director Joachim Oechsner about the Female Juniors: ”Franziska rode well and permanently worked herself to the top. Also Leonie shows increasing form - despite her exams. In the course of the race she gradually slowed down the pace a little.”